Getting The Job

Some time ago I wrote a post on How Do You Get Fired At Workbecause most of my peers were feeling so agitated at their workplace, they wanted a way out. Personally, I think they have lost direction in their working life because they treated work as a routine. It’s not supposed to be that way. Work should be the place for you to expand on your skills and fall deeper in love with your passion. Unless of course, you are a singer hidden in the suit of an Account Manager or something along that line. If that is the case, why on earth did you apply for a job you know you won’t enjoy having? Every job brings in money (big or small), so don’t use finance as an excuse. If I did, I would probably be sleeping under the bridge today.

So to those of you who are jobless and currently seeking for one, here are some personal tips I would like to share with you guys. These pointers are not based on just one job interview which I’ve attended. In fact, I’ve gone through almost fifteen of them and gotten so sick, I swore never to randomly send my resumes out. Job interviews are tiring.

Make sure you really want the job before sending out your resume. What happened was my mom kept pestering me to get a job so I sent out a few resumes just to show her that I was doing something. The trouble was every resume that I sent out came back with a job interview appointment. I found myself flying from one interview to another, the max was three in a day. And sometimes, it was for jobs that I knew I would never take up either because the office is far away or the business nature does not interest me. So choose wisely so that you can save not only your own time and energy, but the potential bosses’ as well.

Always bring a pen when you go for job interviews.No matter how comprehensive the resume which you have submitted to them, you are always required to fill up an application form when you arrive at the office. Equipped yourself with a pen at all times as it would show how resourceful and well-prepared you are. You may find yourself offering the pen to the interviewer if he/she couldn’t find one on their desk when they want to jot something down on your resume.

Don’t sell ALL of yourself immediately, take it slow.I’ve been to so many interviews in which I’ve never shown them my portfolio. Can you believe that?! And I actually got shortlisted without even having to sell myself completely. Sell the qualifications and skills needed for you to get the job, and keep the extra bits to yourself. In my case, there was once I told them that I could do graphic design as well; they were persistent to hire me as a graphic designer instead of a copywriter. Extra bits can either help you or kill you – most of the time, potential bosses think that you are just a show-off. If you can do without your portfolio, then do without it!

Never try to impress, always be yourself. I went to this interview once in which I sat down and talked about my past experiences and all that. When they asked questions, I answered them the way everyone else would even though I don’t believe in the answers myself. Wrong move. Here’s an experience I would like to share. I went to an interview in TTDI and decided to screw it because there was no public transport to that area. No way I was going to take two trains and two buses to work daily and back.

So I went in there being just me, minus all the lets-give-these-guys-a-good-impression attitude. When the Creative Director asked, “So if you were a copywriter, how would you contribute in a brainstorm session?” and I blurted out my most honest answer, “I wouldn’t be putting on the copywriter cap. I would stand out of my job scope and think like a Creative Director, like you, because copy isn’t the main thing in brainstorming sessions. Big Idea is.” His eyes glared into mine before he announced that I’ve got the job. You impress more when you are being yourself.

Punctual, punctual and earlier than punctual!Okay, maybe not too early. If you appear at the office fifteen minutes before the appointment, you make your interviewers uncomfortable because most of the time they have planned their daily schedule. It’s not like they are sitting down there waiting for you to come with nothing else better to do. Having said that, it’s not like they have nothing to do but talk with you. So be punctual. Five minutes before the appointment is perfect. Always ask them for direction or a map and make sure you know where the place is before your interview. Remember to call them if you will be late, it’s courtesy.

Research at fingertips.You are living in a modern era so for god’s sake, do some research on the company. Google them, find out more about their business and what they do. Don’t end up sitting in front of the interviewers and realising that you didn’t want the job afterall because their business doesn’t interest you. Always be professional whether you are interested in the job or not because the world is watching you.

I have more stories to share but I’ll keep it for some other days. Too lengthy a post would put you guys to sleep. Meanwhile, share with me some of your experiences, would ya?

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